Methods of treating allergies and allergic reactions have heretofore embodied the administration to an individual of an antigen which initiates the formation of antibodies which compete with the antibodies initiated by the allergen thereby dampening or reducing the allergic reaction.
The usual prior art approach in the treatment of allergic patients involves the preparation of a crude extract of the allergy-producing substance in an aqueous buffered solution. The patients are then treated with first minute, then increasing doses of the crude extract over a long period of time. Frequently, three or more years of treatment are necessary before significant lasting improvement is observed. As the treatment progresses, the amount of crude extract that a patient receives is gradually increased. The extent of increased dosage and rate depends upon the patient's individual sensitivity and the degree of reaction to previous dosages.
The injection of whole crude allergen extract over long periods of time induce the production of blocking or competing antibodies. It is theorized that the blocking antibodies compete with allergic antibody for the antigen and provides protection to the allergic patient.
There are numerous and obvious disadvantages associated with this expensive and time-consuming process of desensitizing the allergic patient. Very often the administration of the crude extract results in a severe allergic reaction if the dosages have not been carefully monitored and administered. In addition, the process of desensitization is a long and time-consuming and very often expensive process. In addition, the production of competing antibodies in the allergic patient very often result in side effects which may be more damaging to the patient than the allergic reaction itself.
More importantly, the method of desensitization heretofore employed in the prior art has not been altogether successful. In many instances, the time-consuming desensitization procedure does not result in an adequate degree of protection to the allergic patient who still continues to suffer with the allergy when exposed to antigen.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a complex suitable for administration to an allergic patient which neutralizes existing antibodies and completely blocks the formation of antibodies, either competing or specific to the allergenic antigen.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for the production of complexes that will block the allergic reaction.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a method for the treatment of an allergic individual to block the allergic reaction.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an injectable composition for administration to an allergic patient for blocking the allergic reaction.